ABOUT CERTIFICATION

In order to hold a teaching or administrative position in New York State, a candidate must be certified by the New York State Education Department as having met the education, examination, and experience requirements necessary to teach a particular subject at the prescribed grade level.  In New York City, candidates are also required to hold a license, issued by the NYC Department of Education.  Certification ensures that all teachers in New York State are being held to a high standard; that they have been adequately prepared, are competent, and have had the proper experience required for the position.  

The School of Education aims to prepare candidates for a career in Education or Administration. Our programs are designed to not only lead to a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a particular area, but also to give our candidates the coursework needed to meet the certification requirements as set forth by the New York State Education Department. Candidates are encouraged to visit the Office of Teaching Initiatives website frequently to keep themselves abreast of all updates in regulations.

All School of Education programs were re-registered with NYS in 2001, and tailored to meet current NYS standards, effective 2/2/2004. Completion of a state-registered program means that candidates have met at least the minimum education requirements for a NYS certificate in that particular area.    On the NYSED website Certification Requirements page, this is referred to as the Approved Teacher Preparation Pathway.     One of the requirements of the Approved Teacher Preparation Pathway is an Institutional Recommendation.  An Institutional Recommendation means that the Institution where you completed your Approved Teacher Preparation Program is verifying to the state that you have in fact completed an Education or Administration program which satisfies the State’s requirements for certification in that particular area, as agreed upon in the program registration.  The recommendation comes in the form of a New York State application for certification, to be completed via the OTI TEACH system.  Please be sure to indicate that you are requesting an institutional recommendation by selecting the Approved Teacher Preparation Program pathway.  You may only request an institutional recommendation for a certificate in the subject area of the program you completed at the institution and for the certificate type for which the program is registered as leading to.